About vomiting in public

[Beingsickoutside]

If you are unwell and need to be sick and this comes on you quite suddenly, what’s the equitette? Is there one?

It seems really horrible to leave a puddle of vomit on a road or car park but what else can you do, realistically?

I had horrendous sickness when pregnant with DC1- I took to carrying large plastic sandwich bags and a large-ish tupperware box in my bag so if there was no-where appropriate to vom I could at least use one of those and then dispose of it somewhere appropriate. A fair few times though it had to be bushes/drains.

This has just brought back hideous memories of a time I had a migraine at work and a boss who thought migraines were "just headaches" and wouldn't let me come home. Instead I had to go to a meeting a bus journey away at the other end of the city. I'm very rarely actually sick with migraines, although I always feel it, but I think the bus was just too much. I remember sitting trying to take notes and feeling absolutely horrendous, I could hardly see or speak. Then suddenly realised I was going to be sick so ran out of the meeting, down 2 flights of stairs to the nearest toilets and just made it into the toilets when I threw up EVERYWHERE, right down the outside of the cubicle door and all over the floor. I was trying so desperately to hold it in and just couldn't. The poor lady who worked there followed me in and was so lovely, I burst into tears and she was just so sweet and started cleaning it all up. On the plus side, the migraine eased instantly! That boss didn't learn her lesson really, the next one I got at work, she allowed me to lie on the floor under her desk in her office as she wasn't using it 🙄 I was young, nowadays I'd just say I had to go home!

My niece threw up on a Guide Dog! I dont know what the puking etiquette is but definitely try to avoid puking on people's Guide Dogs!

You can get sick bags from the pharmacy. As a bit of an emetophobe with 4 kids I always carry some in my handbag and car.

Came in handy at the Louvre recently when my son felt sick - that place is such a maze to try to get outside of, there was no hope. So instead of making a mess all over the crowded marble foyer he unobtrusively vomited into the bag. I don’t think anyone around us even noticed. I highly recommend them.

I was sick in public about a year ago.

I was in a swimming pool (watching area) and the smell sent a wave of nausea over me. I know it wouldn’t be long so I got up to leave thinking I’d make it home.

The cold air hit, I stumbled to my car and that was it. I had no choice at all! Yes here was no etiquette! That Luke was coming and that wa sit!!

I had noro but didnt realise as I hadnt actually been sick just felt dizzy and headachy which I put down to the weather (32c).
Was at work helping at after school drama club when i felt it coming....luckily the cleaner had left her bucket by my desk so i grabbed it and threw her sacks and things out.
I was stuck there throwing up in that bucket for hours and ended up taking it home in case I threw up in the car.
Once home I found dd in a similar state and the next few days we were both home trying to share the bathroom.
I still work there but thankfully the students I threw up in front of are long gone

"there was a small but happy group of feral pigeons busy clearing things away*

Ah the circle of life. Beautiful in its way.

Anyone remember the scene from The Commitments where a woman threw up in her handbag? What altruism!

Each time (thanks, pregnancy!) I threw up in a bin. Only 3 times though, as I rarely went out - and that was why!

This happened to me when I was pregnant. Where I live the town centre is quite rough so I'm not sure anyone cared.

Was vile though.

I had this happen to me on a train. I had left work knowing I wasn't well and on the train I suddenly felt I would be sick. I got up very quick and had to be sick in the corner near to door. I put tissues on it to stop people accidentally standing in it and my stop was almost there and had to get off. I don't think there was much more I could do. It was mortifying and I was unwell so just needed to get home.

Off the pavement if at all possible. And preferably not in someone’s property (i.e. in the gutter rather than on the private side of a garden wall). If you’ve made a mess, go back - or send someone if you still feel awful - or go and clean it up with a bucket of water and a broom.

@Bunnybigears

My niece threw up on a Guide Dog! I dont know what the puking etiquette is but definitely try to avoid puking on people's Guide Dogs!

Oh my god

Oh I missed a trick there.

Oh my dog

I don't think there is an etiquette.

As a teenager I suddenly became profoundly unwell on the train and vomited on the passenger sitting next to me. She was surprisingly alright about it, but if you were that lady I'd like to apologise profusely. She was absolutely lovely and looked after me for the rest of the journey despite the fact I'd covered her in puke.

I then got off the train and vomited every 10 yards down the platform.

I’ve had to be sick in my handbag and also in a bin once.

I always carry a substantial carrier bag with me (folded in my handbag) for such occasions, and then dispose of it in the nearest bin!

Never try to swallow it back down (learnt from experience!) as it will just come rushing back up and you will have NO control whatsoever over where it goes!

@CircleofWillis

This happened to me too. I started feeling ill on the train and tried to find a bin on the platform. There werent any so I went up to try to get out of the station and get some fresh air...

Hyde Park Corner has the longest escalators... I held on until I vomited on the metal plate at the top.

Im afraid I fled the station and hid in the park before getting a bus home!

One Sunday morning I witnessed a woman sitting right in the open seating area of the Cheshire Oaks shopping centre, head between her knees, vomming away.

Now that's disgusting. I get that the need to be sick it's an inescapable, immediate and pressing necessity - I've suffered with morning sickness FGS - but at least I'd have staggered to the edge of the compound when I was in little less conspicuous public view.

This was disgusting - no mitigation.

I am often sick in public. I actually avoid going out to public places and I carry sick bags around if I do go out. I have an issue where I projectile vomit with only a few seconds warning.

I often have no time to think about where it goes but always try to wash it down with a bottle of water after. If I can I aim for bushes, grass, bin etc.

It’s easy to say what you would try and do but in the moment you often can’t think. There is no shame to being sick. I just always ensure I clean it up rather than leaving it for some poor soul to deal with it.

I was in a queue at the local corner shop and suddenly had the urge to vomit. I ran outside and hung over the railings, chucking my guts up. Luckily, it was dark and pouring with rain. It was mortifying. I was on antibiotics and had had a reaction. My MIL once threw up into her handbag in the back of my car!

I was lucky enough to come down with noro whilst on a romantic weekend away in Paris about 20 years ago, I had been feeling tired and swimmy in my head all morning and first puke was in The Ritz after having afternoon tea, second puke in a taxi on the way back to our hotel, poor exH caught it and had the chronic runs on the Eurostar home. From that experience I actually fear catching noro.

I'm a puker so always know when I'm going to be sick about 30 minutes before I'm actually sick but two occasions spring to mind. First one I was watching a bird of prey display and I don't know whether it was a dizziness thing but the sick feeling came on quickly and I just knew I had to get home. About halfway home in the car, on a dual carriageway with no option to pull over I had to open the window and proceeded to vomit all down the window and side of my OH's car. Second occasion I left work as had a migraine and knew that within 30 mins I wouldn't even be able to hold my head up, didn't time it right and ended up vomiting into a coffee cup whilst driving....didn't spill a drop 😂

I never used to get any warning that I was about to be sick and once managed to violently chunder over the front of a police van and all down myself. Thankfully they were lovely about it and helped me clean myself up. Totally put me off drinking strong black tea on an empty stomach though. Now I do get warnings. My mouth waters and I feel cold and clammy so I can usually get somewhere first